The first words that spring to the minds of many first-time travelers to Vietnam are Vietnam War. As obvious as the appellation might seem to Westerners, for the Vietnamese, Vietnam War could mean the one…
The first words that spring to the minds of many first-time travelers to Vietnam are Vietnam War. As obvious as the appellation might seem to Westerners, for the Vietnamese, Vietnam War could mean the one against the French, the Japanese, the Americans, the Cambodians or the Chinese. For most Vietnamese, the American War (as it is more appropriately called here) was only one struggle in the 128 years of fighting to free their country from colonial rule or protect its borders. In fact, since the first military incursion of the French Navy at Danang in 1847, the country has not really known peace until a few conflicts after the fall of Saigon to the communist troops in April 1975. After the reunification of the country in 1975, Vietnam fought 2 more battles, first in Cambodia and then with the Chinese along” its northern border. Peace really only started in 1979.
DON’T be surprised if the American War doesn’t seem to be as important to the Vietnamese as it does in the West. Study the country’s recent history and you will see why Dien Bien Phu seems to be a military feat as celebrated as the victory against the Americans. The Vietnamese very often say: “Let bygones be bygones”. Most people see no point in dwelling on the past or in nursing resentment. And with the newfound prosperity, all eyes are turned towards the present and the future. DO understand however that they remember the suffering, the losses of dear ones and the deaths in their families. Most Vietnamese will also remember the nationalistic fervor, the ideals they fought for and the family values. Many who lived through the wars are nostalgic and sad that selfishness seems to be replacing traditional values.
